


all I want is to be home

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Poe Dameron: Free Fall - Alex Segura, Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren (Comics)
Genre: Ben and Poe are childhood friends, Childhood Friends, Light Angst, Other, Poe Dameron & Ben Solo Friendship, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Pre-Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:55:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28509297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Ben has a break from Academy life to play with Poe.
Relationships: Poe Dameron & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 4
Kudos: 2
Collections: Bad Day Collection, Gen Prompt Bingo Round 19, The Darkpilot Gallery





	all I want is to be home

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: The Way We Were — Pre-Canon
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: This was based on an old piece of fanart that I found on Pinterest (sadly, no idea who created it): 

It wasn’t often that Poe got to visit the Academy on Adani, but when he did, Ben could safely say that he was excited. He was seven years old, and Poe was ten, but there was still something about Poe where the older child somehow still found him cool to hang around.  
  
When he felt the stir in the Force while he was going over some text that Luke had picked out as youngling-friendly, Ben all but jolted to his feet, slamming his book down on the table and running towards Uncle Luke.  
  
Voe, who was reading her own text, grumbled. “Ben Solo, do you have absolutely no sense of quiet?”  
  
“Sorry!” Ben said quickly. He turned back towards Uncle Luke. “Poe’s here!”  
  
“I felt him,” Luke said, smiling. “How about we go see him?”  
  
Ben turned to look at Tai, who was reading across from him. Tai smiled. Nodded. The slightly older boy seemed to understand Ben’s bond with Poe; after all, Ben had chattered at times about how wonderful Poe was.  
  
Ben all but scampered towards the courtyard — above, the blue sky spread into infinity. It was something that was awe-inspiring and scary at the same time, as Ben feared, occasionally, that he’d fall into the blue expanse.  
  
Poe broke free of his father and ran to Ben, and hugged him. There was something about just being near Poe that spoke of home and freedom and security. Tai tried, and he succeeded, in being a good source of security and comfort, but Poe...Poe was something else.  
  
Poe broke away. “Look what Papa got me!”  
  
He pulled a helmet out of a bag. Ben gaped at the sight of it, at the familiar colors of a Rebel pilot’s helmet.  
  
“You’re kidding!” Ben exclaimed. “Are you — is that a real Rebel helmet?”  
  
“Papa got it for my Naming Day.”  
  
“Oh, stars — I didn’t even think — ”  
  
“Ben,” Poe said. “It’s okay! I know you’ve been at the Academy...”  
  
Kes nodded. “Exactly. You two...why don’t you go play? I’m sure you have a lot to catch up on.”  
  
***  
  
Poe looked almost comical with the Rebel helmet on, a helmet that was too big for his head, but somehow, Ben bought the idea of him being a hero. To him, Poe was a hero — sweet, kind, brave, accepting of just about everyone and everything.  
  
“You like it?” Poe said, and Ben nodded. Poe removed the Rebel helmet. “You know, when I get older, I wanna be a pilot, like Mama was. She was so brave.”  
  
“Why can’t you be?” Ben said.  
  
Poe shrugged. “Papa’s afraid I’ll get hurt. I mean, I guess it makes sense. I mean, I’m too little to fly a ship.”  
  
“I don’t think you’re too little for anything!” Ben exclaimed.  
  
Poe smiled. “Neither are you. To me, you can do anything."  
  
Ben absently kicked at a pebble. “Not everything.”  
  
“Who said that?” Poe said.  
  
Ben sighed. “Sometimes I feel like I have to do something great.”  
  
“You’re little. And there’s more than one way to do something great.”  
  
Ben wrinkled his nose. “How are you so smart?”  
  
“My parents teach me things."  
  
Ben grinned. “They’re good at that.” Then, “Mommy’s a Senator and Daddy’s a racer. Meanwhile, I’m stuck at school. I mean, Voe...”  
  
“Is she being mean to you?” Poe actually did sound worried.  
  
“No.” A sigh from Ben. “She’s just...I wish she knew I know how she feels. Feeling like you have to be perfect.”  
  
“You’re little. You don’t have to be.”  
  
Ben smiled. “Maybe when I’m older. I’ll be a Jedi, and you can be a pilot like your mama, and we can be happy!”  
  
Poe beamed. “Yeah!”  
  
***  
  
They played together. Of course they did. This time, Ben took on the identity of Kylo the brave Jedi. It was fitting. That idea of Kylo — he was brave, and tall, and handsome, and heroic, just like Ben hoped he’d be as he got older.  
  
They raced together, pretending they were flying under the late afternoon sun. And for a moment, Ben could feel like he was home.


End file.
